Jailed for sexually assaulting child.

Teignmouth Man Jailed for Sexually Molesting Eight-Year-Old Girl

Richard Griffiths, 37, has been sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl. Griffiths, who was visiting a house in Torbay, was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault after a trial in December.

The court heard a victim personal statement from the child's mother, who described the profound impact the incident had on her daughter. "This has caused my family immense stress and trauma," she said. "My daughter has suffered mental trauma and doesn't sleep well." She added that the child was now distrustful of men and prone to outbursts of anger.

"I feel my daughter's innocence has been taken away from her in such a way that her childhood is ruined and her memories stolen," the mother said.

The offence occurred in 2019. Prosecutor Ms Bathsheba Cassel told the court that Griffiths had been drinking the night before the assault. He twice put his hands inside the child's clothes to touch her. He was arrested after the child told her parents what had happened.

Griffiths, of Barnpark Terrace, has previous convictions for cannabis growing and was subject to a suspended sentence at the time of the offence. Mr Richard Crabb, defending, said Griffiths was a divorced man who had not done anything like this before. He described the offence as 'opportunistic' rather than planned.

Judge Peter Johnson said he had seen Griffiths shaking his head when evidence was heard during the trial. "You stood trial and the jury disbelieved you," the judge told him. He said the young victim had suffered psychological damage as a result of the incident.

Griffiths was made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order restricting his access to children and must sign the sex offender register. He will serve half of the sentence in custody and the rest on licence.